Method of and machine for affixing reenforcing members to articles and for pressing seams



NOV. 26, 1935. E F, sc m 2,021,966 7 METHOD OF AND MACHINE FOR AFFIXING REENFORCINQ MEMBERS TO ARTICLES AND FOR PRESSING SEAMS Filed Dec. 14, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 OWII 1935. E. F. SCHMIDT METHOD OF AND MACHINE FOR AFFIXING' REENFORCING MEMBERS TO ARTICLES AND FOR PRESSING SEAMS Filed Dec. 14, 1951 Patented Nov. 26, 1935 METHODOF:ANDiMACHINE':FORWAFEDdNGiE' REENFORGING-wMElWBEES pToqARTlCLES" AND FOR :PRESSING SEAMSr Ekalrd=F 8chmidtFMiIwaukee;Wis: assignor to Unitd -Sh6e=Ma2ohinery Corporation, Paterson, NsaLga. corporation; of: N eweJ ersey;

AfipIiGatiOnDebemberM, 1931; 'Serial No; 580,848

ls claimsw- (on-12 5152 This-invention relates. towim-proved methods and machihesifor effecting-ihevtattachment of. a a reenfoicingv member to ran.articleuano'l. for press-@- mgr-seams and .is herein'exempl-ified vwithtrefen-v I ence .to .shoemakingv operations.- known.-as; tapes layingoand s'eampressing. I

Iri the past, shoe parts; the principal; surfaces- 2 of .vwhichiaret normally purved'; have usually been I: deformed temporarily when subjected-to these oplerationsias .contrasted with their normal forms-i This deformationcommonly results in thewshoew partsibeingi turned iwrongrsideeou V.-,- flattened-to someiextenhor otherwise misshaped whilethe tape: laying or. seam .pressingiis being-carried out; and as :farnas applicant isv aware,- these :operations'.-.- have always been performed heretofore by; treat-e ing. ,progressive1y the portions of '.'the. .shoez partsii which =are.to be thus worked.

OfiEthe other hand, the present invention cone r templates thee-performance of lthese operationslm. on ishoe partsxowhenmin substantially the :samesi fornn which they.garew-toaassume in the-finishedtw shoe, :andialso itheetreatment atii-onee of the; entirenpqrtion of the :shoe part which.@ is::-to lube thusoperatedrupon. 7

To this end the invention, considered. iniionex aspect;tcontemplates tan improved-i method of strengtheningqe, .piecez-of sheet material; suchias: a shoe part lwhich isrto have :a portion of pre.-: determined shape in the: finished Particle, such o as..a -shoe,.vof nwhich.it is? toi-IormuaApart-i saids; method". comprisingimparting "the :desired r shap to said portion-;. positioning 1*; strengthening member-,.-and;the shaped-portion in substantially, the relative position they: are to occupy: inz then i finished iarticlegand applying :gpressure rtoxthe:- strengtheninggg-memberr and; the apiecev of -.:sheet: fv material-simultaneously-at allv points= at which a theytaretcontiguousr \The use of the above-methte odagreatly -increa-ses -the rapidity 10f; .ithe :ztape layingroperation-tas practiced vheretofore; andxras: :7: herein i diSElOSEdgr-iihfl smeth'od' is carried tout" by r the use ot-animproved:machine constituting. one:v embodiment: ofsimportant features 50f Qthenin-L 'vention.

terial, ittissexemplifiedihereintwith special =refl0 erenoe .to the taping vofaiseamed shoe part, an upper having 1a backj-seam having been selected: for the purpose:- of illustration;

Thus, the invention in another aspect provides a methoda-oieoperating- :upon seamed shoe parts 15 which consiststin shaping,,.-the;a-shoe part 'adjar."

centto-the seaminto thetformr whichqittis to assumewin [the (finished shoe; relatively positioning the tape; and lthevseamed-portion l ofithevshoewithirespectnto each other imthe relationwhioh they EJ381130 have inthe finisheci\-shoe, .-and cause ing; pressure i-toz bewapplied'to the: tape and the shoe-1. part i simultaneously th-roughout :the; extent of their'contiguous surfaces;- thereby ;to effect their tadhesionh-e I 1f ,desired,sea-med shoe parts may. be subjected -2 tot-a nseanrepressing operation onlygf-asi distinguished; frome avtape laying operation and sueh z V aneoperation z-oan bev wperformedz'byi moving the:

forms, above referredto--int0 :=j11.xtap'osition, :with a seamed sh'oerpart -disposedwtherebetweenr 7 Thus,- ath'e pngestent v invention also: contemplates the method of operating upon a seamed shoe:

part:which comprises..shaping;;the;portion ofasthe shoe .-part:-adjacentwto: :the: seam L into" .the; form which ;-itf is :tot-eassume in "the: finishedxshoe, 1 and applyingmressure simultaneously.,=to the parts. of

a seam along its entire lengthniniordento smooth" 7 and flatten the seam ridge.

Preferablyvithe'r procedurerslast" referred tot-sis 40 carried out by the useaofiaeonstructionpinzwhich r invention is tobevrecognized,=and which'as :herein; shown comprises a; form thersurface :of: which 7 is shaped-.:-in1*;aecordance with the;curvaturenofithen inner surfacezro-fu thei portionii of; a a'shoeopart' 4 adjacent! tow-the; backaseam: :beth longitudinally and wwidthwise; thereof;o,and,:.a icoioperatinge fOIIlIiLJ having a work engaging surface tsubstantiallycomplementary-:tto;ithatiiofirsaidefirst mentioned. form whereby thezentirewportion' of Ian upper-eino-w cluding the backeseamzisiaoperateduponwsimuL I taneously ewhenathe ,forms'rarer: ineiuxtaposition, the:sfirst-mentionedaformrbeing vshaped :and1,ar= ranged-Etc receiver-the seamrridge; :Asthereimilal lustrated, the seam ridge is received in a longitudinal groove in that form which is contiguous to the seam ridge; and thus the displacement of the portion of the shoe part constituting the seam ridge which results from the application of pressure thereto is controlled by the sides of the groove in the grooved form insuring that the seam will be uniformly shaped throughout its extent.

The invention contemplates not only improvements in the individual operations of taping and seam pressing referred to above, but also an im proved method of tape layingin the performance of which the the seam pressing operation is carried out simultaneously with that which results in the application of a tape to the work piece, and also the method of laying a tape which comprises as a distinct step that of pressing the seam to be taped in accordance with the above method as a preliminary ope ation.

Thus, it is contemplated that the taping and flattening of a seam may be performed simultaneously with one application of pressure. To this end, a portion of a shoe part adjacent to the seam may first be shaped into the form which it is to have in the finished shoe, a tape may then be shaped into the form which it is to assume in the finished shoe, the tape and the seamed portion of the'shoe may then be relatively positioned with respect to each other in the relation which they are to have in the finished shoe, and, finally, pressure may be applied to the tape and the shoe part simultaneously throughout the extent of their contiguous surfaces, thereby both to flatten the seam ridge and to effect adhesion of the tape and the shoe part at once. As a result of this procedure the tendency of the tape to pucker is minimized since both the tape and the work piece are first shaped into the form which they assume in the finished shoe before they are secured to each other.

If preferred, however, as above indicated, the portion of the shoe part adjacent to and including the seam may be shaped into the form it is to have in the finished shoe by a preliminary seam pressing operation, and then the tape may be shaped into the form which it is to assume in the finished shoe, the tape and the seamed portion of the shoe may be positioned with respect to each other in the relation which they are to have in the finished shoe, and finally pressure may be applied to the tape and the seamed part simultaneously throughout the extent of their contiguous surfaces, thereby to effect their adhesion.

These and other objects and features of the invention will appear more fully from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings and will be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an illustrative machine embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of forms employed in the illustrative machine and indicating the relation of a shoe part and a tape as they are about to be operated on by the forms;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the forms between which is disposed a seamed shoe part and a tape; and

Fig. 4 is a view in perspective showing the lower form and a tape normally positioned on the form as it appears when viewed from behind.

While the present invention may have utility with reference to any operation involved in the attachment of a reenforcing tape to an article,

it is disclosed herein with reference to shoemaking operations commonly known as tape laying and seam pressing. Either or both of these operations are commonly performed on various portions of shoe parts but, for the purpose of 5 disclosing the present invention, it will be 'described with reference to operations known as back seam taping or pressing, the back seam being that which is found in the rearmost portion of a shoe upper which is usually curved 10 both longitudinally and laterally of the seam in accordance with the shape of the heel portion of the foot.

' The illustrated shoe part H3, a quarter, is composed of inner and outer elements which are 15 secured together by stitching l2 and which, when in its normal form, has a ridge l4 extending from its concave surface, as indicated in Fig. 3. The ridge l 4 will be termed hereinafter the seam ridge. The present invention provides improved 20 cooperating forms [6 and I! which are constructed and arranged, as will be pointed out below, for effecting the adhesion of a tape 20 to the seam ridge l4 and the portions of the shoe parts l0 adjacent to it or for finishing the 5 seam ridge l4 by merely pressing it. The above operations are performed by bringing the forms 16 and I1 into juxtaposition, a quarter and tape, or only a quarter, being disposed between the forms, and, while the forms may be incorporated 30 in any suitable device which may be operated to provide such a relative movement, they are illustrated herein as embodied in a machine of the type disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 441,980, granted to S. Ross, Jr., on December 2, 1890. This machine comprises a standard 24 in the head 26 of which is adjustably clamped a holder 28 for the form H, the latter having a dovetailed portion 3E! which fits within a correspondingly shaped groove in the holder 28. The lower form It is mounted in a holder 32 fixed on the upper end of a rod- 34 slidably mounted in a sleeve 36, relative rotation between the sleeve 36 and the holder 32 being prevented by a pin 38in the holder which passes through a guideway in a lug 40 which extends inwardly from the upper end of the sleeve 36. The sleeve 36 is supported vertically by means of a yoke 42 which is rotatably connected with the sleeve by means of trunnions 44. The lower end of the rod 34 is guided by an arm 46 pivotally mounted at 48 in the standard 24. On account of this pivotal mounting, the lower form I6 may be moved from a position of alinement with the upper form [8 into the position it occupies as illustrated in Fig. 1, to facilitate the positioning thereon of shoe parts to be treated. Lateral movement of the lower form I6 is prevented by a rod 50 carrying the yoke 42 at one end and being mounted for horizontal sliding movement 5 in the standard 24. The lower form I6 is moved toward the form I8 by means of mechanism comprising a treadle 52 which, when depressed, swings a crank 54 in a clockwise direction, thereby raising the rod 34 the lower end of which it engages. A spring 56 normally urges the crank 54 in a counterclockwise direction, thereby normally to allow the form [6 to drop to its lowermost position when foot pressure is removed from the treadle. 7 The forms l6 and H, as herein illustrated, have substantially complementary work engaging surfaces [8, l9 which are shaped respectively in accordance with the concave and convex surfaces of the shoe part It) in the vicinity of the plied in a continuous strip from a roll (not illusback seam bothlongitudinally and widthwise of the seam. The forms, moreover, are arranged to operate onthe entire length of the scam and hence, when brought into juxtaposition, treat the shoe part simultaneously throughout its height- Wise extent. The illustrated machine is adapted for performing tape laying operations on account of -the provision in the lower mold iii of tape guiding channels in its ends. One channel is formed by tunneling completely between an end face of the form it and its work engaging face, providing a kind of eye 58 through which the tape 20 is threaded. The tape guiding channel at the other end of the form I6 is made by removing material from its work engaging surface so as to provide vertical shoulders: 60 (Fig. 4) spaced by a distance somewhat greater than the width of thetape to allow the tape to move freely therebetween.

The uppermost portion of the work engaging surface [8 of the form I6 is provided with a groove 62 connecting the mid. points. of the channels at each end of the form. The groove, as herein illustrated in Fig. 3, is relatively shallow and evenly curved widthwise thereof and is wide enough to receive the ridges of back seams.

As above pointed-out, the construction in which the present invention is embodied may be used either to lay tape, press seams, or to perform both of these operations simultaneously. In using the illustrated machine only for the purpose of pressing seams a shoe part is placed over the form i=6 with the seam in alinement with the groove 62 and the portions of the shoe part adjacent to the seam fitting closely about the form on which there is no tape. The shoe part I0, which may have been removed from a stack in no particular shape, is thus manually formed substantially into the shape which it is to have in the finished shoe before the seam is pressed. The forms it and I? are then moved into juxtaposition as by depressing the treadle 52 in the illustrated construction, the form It having previously been moved underneath the form li, thereby causing the entire seam as well as portions'of the shoe part adjacent to the seam to be acted upon at once throughout the heightwisre extent of the shoe part.

The sides of the groove 62 form definite boundaries within which displacement of the portion of the shoe part in the seam ridge resulting from the pressure, between the forms I t and I! is limited and insure that the seam ridge will be uniformly shaped throughout its length and fiattened against the portion of the shoe part contiguous to the seam. It is apparent, moreover, in view of the fact that the seam is pressed 'while the portion of the shoe part including it is in its finished form when treated, that the form of the seam as pressed is not altered when the shoe part is assembled with others iii a shoe.

When the illustrated machine is used to .performa tape laying operation, it may be operated first to perform a seam pressing operation on the -shoe part to be taped, as described above, as a distinct step preliminarily to the tape applying operation. However, if it is desired both to lay tape and press a seam at once, a tape may be placed on the upper surface of the form IS in the first instance, in which case the tape is applied to the work piece simultaneously throughout the extent of the work piece contiguous to the tape; The positioning of the tape on the lower form 16 at the beginning of a taping operation is performed manually,the tape being sup- The shoe part to be taped is then placed over the lower form iii, the seam ridgebeing in .alinement with the tape, that is, directly over the groove 62. Finally, the forms it and H are moved into juxtaposition. This results in the simultaneous application of pressure to the tape, and the portion of the shoe part contiguous to the tape, whereby the ridge is flattened and the tape is adhesively secured to the shoe part over the seam and to portions of it adjacent to the seam. It is apparent; therefore, that the tape and the portion of the shoe part which are to be secured together, both having first been shaped to the form which they are to have in the finished shoe, may be pressed together by applying pressure simultaneously cver their entire contiguous surfaces without causing any puckering of the tape on the shoe part and without necessitating any relative movement between the tape and the shoe. part they are pressed together in order to eliminate wrinkles or the like in the tape.

It is customary in performing taping operations of the type under discussion, to apply a number of shoe parts to a continuous length of tape, as indicated in Fig. 2. The weight of the taped shoe parts hang from the forward end of the form iii tensions the tape to some extent, and thus further facilitates the shaping of the tape to the surface of the form.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. That improvement in strengthening a piece of sheet material a portion of which is to have a predetermined shape in the finished article of which it is to form a part, which consistsin imparting substantially the desired shape to the whole of said portion, positioning a strengthening member and the shaped portion in substantialiy the relative positions they are to occupy in the finished article, and applying pressure to the strengthening member and the piece of sheet material simultaneously throughout all points at which they are contiguous.

2. That method of operating on shoe parts which consists in shaping a shoe part into the form which it is to have in the finished shoe, positioning a tape and the shaped, shoe part in the relative positions they are to have in the finished shoe, and applying pressure to the tape and the shoe part simultaneously throughout the extent of the shoe part contiguous to the tape in order to effect their adhesion.

3. That method of applying a tape to a shoe part which consists in relatively positioning a tape and a shoe part with respect to each other in the relation which they are to have in the finished shoe, and causing pressure to be applied to their contiguous surfaces simultaneously throughout the extent thereof While maintaining said surfaces in the shape they are to have in the finished shoe.

4. That method of applying a tape to a shoe form which it is to have in the finished shoe, shaping the shoe part into the form which it is to have in the finished shoe, relatively positioning said tape and shoe part with respect to each other in the relation which they are to have in the finished shoe, and causing pressure to be applied thereto simultaneously throughout the extent of their contiguous surfaces.

5. That method of operating on seamed shoe parts which consists in shaping the portion of the shoe part adjacent to the seam into the form which it is to have in the finished shoe, relatively positioning a tape and the seamed portion of the shoe with respect to each other in the relation which they are to have in the finished shoe, and causing pressure to be applied to the tape and the shoe part simultaneously throughout the extent of their contiguous surfaces thereby to effect their adhesion.

6. That method of applying tape to a seamed shoe part, which consists in shaping the portion of the shoe part adjacent to the seam into the form which it is to have in the finished shoe, shaping a tape into the form which it is to have in the finished shoe, relatively positioning the tape and the seamed porton of the shoe with respect to each other while in the relation which they are to have in the finished shoe, and causing pressure to be applied to the tape and the shoe part simultaneously throughout the extent of their contiguous surfaces thereby both to flatten the seam ridge and to effect the adhesion of the tape and the shoe part at once.

'7. That method of applying tape to a seamed shoe part, which consists in pressing the portion of the shoe part adjacent to and including the seam into the form it is to have in the finished shoe, shaping a tape into the form which it is to have in the finished shoe, relatively positioning the tape and the seamed portion of the shoe with respect to each other in the relation which they are to have in the finished shoe, and causing pressure to be applied thereto simultaneously throughout the extent of their contiguoussunfaces thereby to eifect their adhesion.

8. That method of operating upon a seamed shoe part which consists in shaping the portion of the shoe part adjacent to the seam into the normally curved form both laterally and longitudinally of the seam which it is to have in the finished shoe, and applying pressure simultaneously to the seam along its entire length in order to smooth and flatten theseam ridge.

9. That method of operating upon a seamed shoe part which consists in applying pressure simultaneously to the entire length of the seam and the portion of the shoe part contiguous thereto in order to flatten the entire seam ridge at once while maintaining the portion of the shoe part adjacent to the seam in the normally curved shape both laterally and longitudinally of the seam it is to have in the finished shoe.

10. That method of operating upon a seamed shoe part which consists in shaping the portion of the shoe part adjacent to the seam into the normally curved form which it is to have in the finished shoe, applying pressure to the seam ridge throughout its lengthwise extent simultaneously, and limiting the displacement of the portion of the shoe part constituting the seam ridge laterally thereof which results from the application of pressure thereto.

11. In a machine for operating on. seams, in combination, a form the surface of which is shaped in accordance with the curvature. of the,

inner surface of the portion of a shoe part adjacent to the back seam both longitudinally and. width-Wise thereof, and a cooperating form having a work-engaging surface which is substantially complementary to that of said first-mentioned form whereby all parts of the shoe part adjacent to the back seam are operated upon simultaneously when the forms are moved into juxtaposition, said first-mentioned form having a longitudinal groove shaped and arranged to receive the seam ridge.

12. In a machine for operating on seams, in combination, a form the surface of which is shaped in accordance with the curvature of the concave surface of the portion of the shoe part adjacent to the back seam, and a cooperating form having a work-engaging surface which is substantially complementary to that of said.

first-mentioned form whereby the entire portion of the shoe part, including the back seam, is operated upon simultaneously when the forms are moved into juxtaposition, said first-mentioned form also being shaped to receive the ridge of the back seam.

13. In a machine for operating on seams, in

combination, a form the work-engaging surface of which is shaped in accordance with the normal curvature of the narmally concave surface of the portion of a shoe part adjacent to the back seam and a cooperating form having a work-engaging surface substantially complementary to that of said first-mentioned form, said first-mentioned form comprising means for positioning an adhesive tape centrally on its work-engaging surface.

14. In a machine for operating on seams, in combination, a form the work-engaging surface of which is shaped in accordance with both the normal longitudinal and transverse curvatures of the inner surface of the portion of a shoe part adjacent to the back seam, and a cooperating form having a work-engaging surface substantially complementary to that of said first-mentioned form, said first-mentioned form comprising tape-receiving channels adapted to position an adhesive tape centrally on its work-engaging surface whereby the tape is adhesively attached to the back seam of the work in its normal state of curvature when the said forms are moved into juxtaposition.

15. A machine for operating on a seamed shoe part, said part being normally curved both 1ongitudinally and widthwise of the seam, having in combination, a form having a work-engaging surface convexly curved both longitudinally and widthwise thereof in accordance with the curvature of the concave surface of the said shoe part, and a form having a work-engaging surface substantially complementary to that of said firstnamed form whereby the entire seamed portion of the work piece is operated upon simultaneously when said forms are in juxtaposition, said first- 'mentioned form having a seam ridge receiving groove extending longitudinally along its workengaging surface.

16. A machine for applying adhesive tape to a seamed shoe part, said shoe part being normally curved both longitudinally and widthwise of the seam, having in combination, a form having a work-engaging surface convexly curved both longitudinally and widthwise thereof in accordance with the curvature of the concave surface of the said shoe part, and a form having a work-engaging surface substantially complementary to that of said first-named form whereby the entire seamed portion of the work piece is operated upon simultaneously when said forms are in juxtaposition, said first-named form comprising tapereceiving channels adapted to position a tape centrally on said form whereby the tape is adhesively attached simultaneously throughout the entire length of the contiguous portion of the shoe part.

17. A machine for applying adhesive tape to a seamed shoe part, said shoe part being normally curved both longitudinally and widthwise of the seam, having in combination, a form having a work-engaging surface convexly curved both 1ongitudinally and widthwise thereof in accordance with the curvature of the normally concave surface of the said shoe part, and a form having a work-engaging surface substantially complementary to that of said first-named form whereby the entire seamed portion of the work piece is operated upon simultaneously when said forms are in juxtaposition, said first-named form having a seam ridge receiving groove extending longitudinally along the central portion of its work-engaging surface, said first-named form having also tape receiving channels adapted to position an adhesive tape in alinement with said groove whereby the tape is simultaneously affixed to the entire length of the portion of the shoe part adjacent to and including the seam when said forms are in juxtaposition.

18. A machine for operating on the portion of 5 a shoe part including the back seam, a form having a work-engaging surface convexly curved in accordance with the normal longitudinal and widthwise curvature of the inner concave surface of the portion of a shoe part including the back seam, a second form the work-engaging surface of which is substantially complementary to that of said first-named form, said first-named form having a groove in the central portion of its workengaging surface extending longitudinally thereof, and shaped to receive the ridge of the back seam, and a tape-receiving channel at each end of said first-named form arranged to position an adhesive tape on said form in alinement with said groove whereby the tape is simultaneously affixed to the entire length of the portion of the shoe part adjacent to and including the seam when said forms are in juxtaposition.

ECKARD F. SCHMIDT. 

